Container set-up apparatus

ABSTRACT

A suction head sets up knockeddown flat folded cartons to an erected rectangular outline, the head including a pair of suction grippers carried on fixedly spaced, parallel, rotary axes. The grippers, upon taking suction engagement with opposed walls of a collapsed carton, are rotated unidirectionally about these axes to open the carton, the carton side walls or panels moving away from one another without the grippers being moved away from each other in the opening of the carton.

United States Patent 2,671,385 3/1954 Johenning 2,794,372

John Donald Winters 2187 Braemar Road, Oakland, Calif. 94602 Nov. 21, 1968 Feb. 23, 1971 inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented CONTAINER SET-UP APPARATUS 27 Claims, 15 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 93/53, 93/49, 93/84, 93/94 Int. Cl 1331b 1/80, B31b 49/02, 1331b 1/06 Field of Search 93/53, 84 (TW), 94, 49(.1)

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1957 Goss .1:

2,993,314 7/1961 Havemann 93/53(PSD) 3,242,827 3/1966 Winters 93/53(M) 3,293,998 12/1966 Farnow 93/53(M) 3,367,248 2/1968 Rhino 93/84(TW) 3,397,624 8/1968 Currie 93/93(HT) FOREIGN PATENTS 1,124,799 3/1962 Germany 93/53(PSD) Primary Examiner-Wayne A. Morse, Jr. Attorney-Whittemore, l-lulbert and Belknap ABSTRACT: A suction head sets up knockeddown flat folded cartons to an erected rectangular outline, the head including a pair of suction grippers carried on fixedly spaced, parallel, r0-

tary axes. The grippers, upon taking suction engagement with opposed walls' of a collapsed carton, are rotated unidirectionally about these axes to open the carton, the carton side walls or panels moving away from one another without the grippers being moved away from each other in the opening of the carton.

PATENTEUFEB23I9ZI 3564,9830

SHEET 1 [1F 3 m-iii! NEYS PATENTEU FEB23 197i SHEET 2 [IF 3 A? I ,7 r, at.) 5 V A JOHN 00w TSENTIESRS ATTORNEYS CONTAINER SET-UP APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The carton setup mechanism may be utilized in a wide variety of carton handling operations. Among the more common will be applications involving a cartoning of precision weighed foodstuffs. However, the field of application is not limited to precision-type operation, as in the net-weigh filling of cartons. Volumetric filling, positive displacement filling, filling by count, automatic insertion, etc., are also contemplated.

2. Description of the Prior Art The most pertinent patent of which I am aware is the patent to Gordan, No. 2,984,l62 of May 16, l96l. This shows a carton setup machine; however, in this case a relative erecting movement of suction grippers, between which a collapsed carton is gripped, is a relative bodily shift of the grippers toward or away from one another, rather than a relative rotation about fixedly spaced, parallel axes, involving no bodily shift whatsoever.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To repeat, the present carton setup structure differs basically from, and is greatly simplified and compacted in comparison with, prior structures requiring a relative bodily shift, swinging or otherwise, of the carton grippers during the opening of a knocked-down flat folded carton to an erect condition after being gripped in collapsed form at its opposite sides. Pursuant to my invention, the suction grippers are coupled through vacuum lines or conduitry to a suitable vacuum source, which may involve suction cutoff and cut-in valving and manifold means of a generally well-known sort. The parallel-axis rotary motion of the suction grippers will normally be produced by can and/or linkage means spaced substantially in lateral relation to the grippers, in order to accommodate the top-to-bottom length of a carton engaged therebetween. However, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical motivation, or a combination thereof are also contemplated.

In a multiple head installation the gripper heads are facing in succession by appropriate and well-known traveling means past a carton supply hopper or magazine, and in approaching the magazine one of the grippers is displaced bodily relative to the other in order to clear the magazine. At this time means associated with said other gripper removes a flat carton from the magazine, whereupon the latter gripper is rotated 90 to reorient the carton in relation to the direction of head travel. Thus positioned, the displaced gripper is returned to original position on an axis paralleling that of its mate, and takes suction engagement with a facing carton panel. Each gripper is then rotated.90 in a clockwise direction about its axis. The grippers are synchronized and rotate simultaneously. The axis ofone gripper is parallel to the axis of the other gripper. Since one gripper is in suction engagement with one wall and the other gripper is in suction engagement with an opposed wall, the rotation of each gripper will cause each of the engaged walls to rotate 90 in parallel with each other thus causing said walls to separate from each other. As said walls separate from each other, the two remaining walls of the knockeddown flat folded carton are moved into a position at right angles to said first-mentioned walls to open the carton into its fully erected tubular form as shown in FIG. b.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a carton in knocked-down flat folded form positioned between two suction grippers. I

FIG. 1a is a perspective view of the knocked-down flat folded carton.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing a portion of an usual parallel arm linkages means for imparting a rotary motion to each gripper about a pivot point.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, the same as FIG. 1 but showing the carton being opened and the relative rotation of the suction grippers.

FIG. 4a shows the position of the arm linkage when the carton is partially opened as in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view the same as FIG. 1 but with the carton having been fully opened.

FIG. 5a shows the position of the arm linkage when the carton has been fully opened.

FIG. 5b is a perspective view of a fully opened carton.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an entire system whereby the knocked-down flat cartons are delivered from a hopper A to a position between the suction grippers to a fully opened position F.

FIG. 7 is a detailed perspective view of the position of the suction grippers shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 8 is a view looking in the direction of arrows 8-8 of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 9 is a view looking in the direction of arrows 9-9 of FIG. 6C.

FIG. 10 is a view looking in the direction of arrows 10-10 of FIG. 6D.

FIG. 11 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 11-11 of FIG. 6F.

Referring now to the various figures of the attached drawings for a complete understanding of my invention, it will be seen that I have provided:

In FIG. 1 a setup or erecting head, generally designated by the reference numeral 10. Head 10 comprises a pair of identical but oppositely oriented suction cups or grippers 11, I2.

Grippers 11, 12 are suitably connected in a known way to a source of vacuum.

In the operation of the grippers, the grippers open a carton C from its flat collapsed or knocked-down condition (as shown in FIG. 1) through a partially open erected condition shown in FIG. 4 to its fully open erected condition shown in FIG. 5.

The carton C as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 4a, 5 and 6 is the usual paperboard folding carton which includes the usual rectangular wall panels d, e,f, and g as indicated in FIG. 5b. It also has the usual closure flaps h, i,j and k at both the top and the bottom, as indicated in FIG. 5b.

Referring back to FIG. 1 the grippers are usually positioned above a platform or table 13 which is moveable in a predetermined direction.

Positioned beneath the platform or table 13 is a parallel arm type linkage 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3. This arm linkage is of the usual type having parallel arms 15, 16 pivotally connected at 21, 22 to the ends ofa transverse connector bar 17 with the connector bar 17 being fixedly connected at to an operating bar 18 and medially of arms 15, 16.

At the end of arm 15 remote from its connection to transverse bar 17 the gripper 11 is fixedly connected by appropriate means at 20 to arm 15 while at the end of arm 16 remote from its connection to transverse bar 17 the gripper 12 is fixedly connected by appropriate means at 19 to arm 16.

An operation in one direction or another of the operating bar 18 produces a concurrent parallel axis rotation of suction grippers l1, 12, thus causing a concurrent parallel rotation of the carton sidewalls to which the grippers I1, 12 are in suction engagement. This movement, in turn, causes the carton to open as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 showing the connection between the head 10 (FIG. 1) and the linkage 14 (FIG. 3) through table or platform 13. As shown in FIG. 2 (which is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. I) the carton C is positioned between suction grippers ll, 12 which are supported by rods 23, 24 which are, in turn, mounted upon rotatable discs 25, 26. The discs are positioned in the top of platform 13 and are connected to arms 15, 16 (FIG. 3) at the ends 19, 20 (FIG. 3).

When looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1 (as shown in FIG. 2) we see the carton C, the suction grippers 11, 12 which are spaced from-each other the distance shown in FIG. 1 with rod 24 mounted on disc 25. Rod 23 is mounted upon disc 26 which (in this view) is positioned in back of disc 25. In order to avoid the impression that both rods 23, 24 are mounted upon the single disc 25, I have broken away the lower part of rod 23. This is merely for the purpose of illustration and accuracy.

It will be seen that the movement of operating arm 18 will cause connecting rods 19, 20 to rotate about their vertical axes. The movement of operating arm 18 can be controlled in any usual known manner through connections to a source of power. This movement will in turn cause the suction grippers to rotate about pivot points 27, 28. Gripper 11 will rotate about pivot point 27 while gripper 12 will rotate about pivot point 28.

FIGS. 1 and 3 show the position of the suction grippers ll, 12 when the carton is in its knocked-down flat folded form as it is delivered from the supply magazine and the position of the arms 15, 16 oflinkage 14 when the carton is in such a position. The same carton is shown in perspective in FIG. In.

FIG. 4 shows an intermediate stop in the opening of the carton while FIG 4a shows the position of the arms 15, 16 when the partially opened carton is in this intermediate position.

In FIG. 4, the pivot points 27, 28 remain in the same position as they were in FIG. 1 while the suction grippers have rotated in a clockwise direction about said pivot points. Since the suction grippers are in suction engagement with the side walls d and fof the carton C as shown in FIG. 4, the clockwise rotation of the suction grippers causes the sidewalls to move away from each other.

FIG. shows the suction grippers 11, 12 in suction engagement with the sidewall panels d and f. The carton, as there shown, is now in its fully opened and erected condition. The suction grippers 11, 12 have rotated 90 around pivot points 27, 28. This rotation of these grippers has caused the walls of the carton to rotate 90. This opening of the collapsed carton brings the carton to the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 5b.

The position of the parallel arm linkage, when the carton is in its fully opened position, is shown in FIG. 5a. It will be noted that operating bar 18 has been moved from its starting position shown in FIG. 3 to its final position shown in FIG. 50. As illustrated, the downward movement of operating bar 18 through its connection to transverse connector bar 17 causes the fixed connections 19, 20 to rotate 90. This rotation, in turn, causes the discs 25, 26 to rotate 90. The rotary movement of the discs causes the suction gripper supports to rotate. These, in turn, cause the grippers to rotate but such rotation of the grippers is always about pivot points 27, 28. These pivot points 27, 28 are spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance which distance is always the distance between the sidewalls of the carton to be opened.

FIGS. I through 5a, therefore, illustrate the knocked-down folded carton being opened from its knocked-down flat condition to its fully opened condition.

FIG. 6 illustrates the use of my invention in a fully automatic carton opening system in which a plurality of traveling heads are used. In such an installation, a suitable moveable support 33 on which the heads are mounted at 34 travels rectilinearly in a horizontal plane. It will be understood that the same scheme of operation will take place in a rotary installation, in which traveling supports 33 may be part of a spider rotating about an axis and supporting radially disposed setup heads 10.

In FIG. 6, which is a top plan view of one such system, I have shown a carton magazine or hopper 31. The cartons C are placed vertically in magazine 31 which has a bottom support (not shown) and wall supports or guides 29, 30. Wall is equipped with an angled foot 32 at one end thereof. This foot 32 projects laterally in the direction of travel of cartons C which travel is indicated to be to the right in FIG. 6A.

Fixed guide and restraining members retain the cartons in the magazine in the usual manner but permit the cartons to be moved one at a time from the magazine. Pressure is also exerted against the back of the quantity of cartons to insure delivery at the point of exit of each carton. These guides and restraining and pressure members are of the usual well-known types and are, therefore, not otherwise shown.

However, in the removal of each carton from the magazine I employ a new and novel means. The support for suction gripper ll of each setup head is equipped with a rearwardly extending carton pusher lug 32. As indicated at FIG. 6A the fixed guide members 29, 30 are spaced vertically from each other and the suction gripper 11 will pass horizontally across: the ends of both. The lug 32 will also pass horizontally across the ends of both. However, with lug 32 extending downwardly from arm 33 a distance sufficient to contact only the rear of the forward endmost carton in the magazine and with the horizontal movement of the lug 32, the lug 32 will contact the endmost carton and propel it in the direction of the head travel. As-the collapsed carton starts to leave the magazine, the forward end of the collapsed carton comes into contact with angled foot 32 for the purpose of pushing the collapsed carton toward and into contact with suction gripper 11 as shown in FIG. 6B.

As shown in FIG. 6 (at A and B) the cartons are successively picked up by heads 10 from the magazine or hopper 31. In order to do this the suction gripper 12 must not interfere with the magazine 31 in the travel of the head while gripper l1 removes a carton from the magazine. The means for accomplishing this will be described hereinafter. Likewise, although reference may hereinafter be made to a vertical disposition of cartons and a horizontal path of travel thereof, this is simply by way of illustration, and other positional relationships are of course contemplated. The withdrawn carton is shown in FIG. 6C as being wholly clear of hopper 31, being engaged by the gripper 11 only and transported with its flat walls d, e,f, and g, in a plane paralleling the direction of travel of the system. At this time (FIG. 6) the gripper 12 is still in its retracted hopperclearing position, and the other gripper 11 has suction applying engagement with the carton C, at the panelfofthe latter.

Following this the carton C, held by gripper 11 only, is rotated as the carton passes into the position of FIG. 6D. As the carton is reoriented (along with gripper 11) to a posi tion at 99 to its prior position in magazine 31, the retracted gripper 12 also having been moved is now returned to a carton gripping position; and gripper 12 is placed in suction gripping engagement with the panel of the carton C opposite the panel gripped by head 11, the position of these elements being indicated in FIG. 6 at C and D.

Next, grippers 11, 12 are rotated about their pivot points 27, 28 to open the carton C to its erected condition indicated at FIG. 6F. And as transported by head 10, the erected carton C is further acted on in any way that is desired, as, for example by gluing and sealing its bottom flaps and then filling the carton with a product and gluing and sealing its top flaps while being maintained by grippers 11 and 12.

The parallel axis mechanism of the invention, in common with known carton erecting mechanisms of the type shown in the patent identified above, avoids the drawback of the socalled reaction type erectors, in which the action involves a thrust of a creased edge of the carton against an abutment to initiate the opening of the walls. These mechanisms are subject to failure on occasion due to a buckling of the carton body rearwardly of the leading edge. As for prior setup devices in which the carton panels are separated by grippers having relative bodily shift in the erecting of the carton, the present invention is a significant advance.

The fixedly spaced, parallel, rotary axes of the invention in common with known carton erecting mechanism of the type shown in the patent identified above provides for a new. and unique method of opening a carton by grasping opposing panels ofa collapsed carton and positively opening it by a single 90 unidirectional rotation of the grasping devices about their own fixed axes. This represents a significant advance as this invention allows that the axis about which one gripper rotates is at all times the same distance away from the axis about which the other gripper rotates and yet by simple rotation of the grippers the carton side panels are forced under positive control to move away from each other without the usual requirement that grippers also move away from each other in a bodily shift relative to the carton panels being acted upon to effect opening.

FIG. 6D shows the position of the knocked-down flat folded carton similar to the position of the carton C in FIG. 1 in which the carton is positioned between suction grippers 11, 12.

FIG. 615 shows the carton in a position similar to its position in FIG. 4 on its way to being opened.

FIG. 6F shows the carton in a fully opened position similar to its position in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 which is a perspective view of the position of the suction grippers 11, 12 in the position of FIG with lug 32 extending downwardly from arm 33. The supports 23, 24 for grippers may be connected in any well-known manner to the ends of parallel arms 15, 16 so along as they cause the rotation of the grippers 11, 12 about pivot points 27, 28 as heretofore described.

FIG. 8 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 8-8 of FIG. 6. This view shows the lug 32 about to push a carton C from the magazine 31. It also shows gripper 11 supported by the same arm that supports lug 32. It also shows the lifting of the arm 24 and gripper 12 out of the way of the magazine during the travel of the heads. This movement of removing the gripper from the path of the magazine can be accomplished in any manner such as by cam control or other well-known mechanical means.

FIG. 9 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 9-9 of FIG. 6. This view shows the gripper 11 in suction engagement with Carton C with gripper 12 in position to also engage carton C when carton C and gripper 1 1 are rotated 90 as indicated by the unnumbered arrows in FIG. 6C.

FIG. 10 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 10-10 of FIG. 6D after the carton C has been rotated 90 to bring the carton C into suction engagement with gripper 12. In other words, the carton C has moved from the position shown in FIG. 9 to the position shown in FIG. 10. The carton C is now in the same position as shown in the plan view in FIG. 1 where the grippers are about to rotate about pivot points 27, 28 to bring the carton to its fully opened position as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 which is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 11-11 of FIG. 6F shows the grippers in the position where they have been rotated 90 from the position of FIG. 10 with the carton in its fully opened position ready for the bottom closure flaps to be closed and sealed, the carton to be filled and the top closure flaps closed and sealed.

In FIGS. 1 to 5b, I have disclosed one means for rotating the grippers 11, 12 about their pivot points 27, 28 and have shown one means of connection between the parallel arm linkage 14 and the grippers ll, 12. Other means may be employed for simultaneously and synchronously rotating said grippers while other connections to said grippers may be employed.

It is though that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts of the apparatus mentioned herein and in the steps and their order of accomplishment of the method described herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the apparatus and method hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim:

1. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons, or like objects having successive flexibly articulated panels, to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of grippers mounted to rotate in the same rotative direction about fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with different panels of the carton in said phase, and means to rotate said engaged grippers in dividually about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.

2. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of suction grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with oppositely facing and nonsuccessive panels of the carton and means to rotate said engaged grippers simultaneously, individually and unidirectionally about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, inwhich said rotating means comprises a parallel arm-type linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes.

4. The mechanism of claim 2, in which said rotating means comprises a linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes, and further comprising means operable in another phase of operation to rotate at least one of said grippers about an axis paralleling the first-named gripper axes.

5. Apparatus for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, comprising a plurality of gripper heads each having a pair of grippers mounted to rotate in the same rotative direction about fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, a supply magazine to contain the flat cartons, means to transport said heads in succession past said magazine, with one gripper of each thereof in a position in which it may grippingly engage an endmost carton in the magazine in the removal of that carton from the magazine, the other gripper being in a position, in passing the magazine, to physically clear the latter, and means acting with the grippers in engagement with opposite sides of the carton to rotate said engaged grippers about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, in which, prior to said rotation of the grippers about said axes, the gripped flat carton is moved to lie in a plane at to the plane occupied by it in the magazine.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, in which said rotating means comprises a parallel-arm-type linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, in which said rotating means comprises a parallel-arm-type linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes.

9. A method of erecting to a polygonal outline a flat tubular carton having flexibly articulated panels, comprising gripping a pair of oppositely facing panels of the flat carton, and rotating the gripped panels in the same rotative direction about parallel axes fixedly spaced from one to another to erect the carton to said outline.

10. A method of successively erecting to a polygonal outline a series of flat tubular cartons having flexibly articulated panels, comprising successively gripping one panel only of each flat carton in removing it from a stacked supply of such cartons, transporting the thus gripped cartons in a predetermined path, successively gripping an oppositely facing panel of each carton while in transport, and rotating the gripped panels of each carton during transport in the same rotative direction and radii of rotation about fixedly spaced, parallel axes to erect the cartons to said outline.

11. The method of claim 10, in which the gripped flat carton is shifted, during transport and prior to said rotation of said panels about said axes, to lie in a plane at 90 to the plane occupied by it in said stacked-carton supply.

12. The method of claim 11, in which said shifting of the flat carton is a purely rotative one about an axis paralleling said fixedly spaced axes.

13. The method of claim 11, in which the carton, as thus shifted, is gripped by only one of said grippers.

14. The method of claim 12, in which the carton, as thus shifted, is gripped by only one of said grippers.

15. Apparatus for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, comprising a plurality of gripper heads, said gripper heads each having a pair of grippers, said grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, a supply magazine to contain the flat cartons, means to transport said heads in succession past one end of said magazine, means to move an endmost carton from said magazine, means to urge said carton toward and into engagement with one of said grippers, the other gripper being in a position, in passing the magazine, to physically clear the latter, and means acting with the grippers in engagement with opposite sides of the carton to rotate said engaged grippers about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to said polygonal outline.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said magazine comprises walls to confine said cartons and the means to move an endmost carton from said magazine comprises an end portion extension on one of said walls, said extension being positioned at an angle to said one wall to direct the movement of said carton away from said magazine and toward said one said gripper.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means to move said endmost carton from said magazine comprises an arm supporting one said gripper with a rod extending from said arm support, said rod having a downwardly extending finger for engagement with a carton in said magazine when said one said gripper is moved across one end of said supply magazine.

18. A method of successively erecting to a polygonal outline a series of flat tubular cartons having flexibly articulated panels, comprising successively moving each carton from a stacked supply of such cartons toward and into suction engagement with a suction gripper, said gripper gripping one panel of said carton, transporting the thus gripped cartons in a predetermined path, successively gripping an oppositely facing panel of each carton while in transport, and rotating the gripped panels of each carton during transport in the same rotative direction and substantially the same radii of rotation about fixedly spaced, parallel axes to erect the cartons to said outline.

19. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons, or like objects having successive flexibly articulated panels, to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes and in rotative paths of equal radii and the same rotative direction in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with different panels of the carton in said phase, and means to rotate said engaged grippers individually about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.

20. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of suction grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes and in rotative paths of equal radii and the same rotative direction in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with oppositely facing and nonsuccessive panels of the carton and means to rotate said engaged grippers simultaneously, individually and unidirectionally about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.

21. Apparatus for erecting tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, comprising a plurality of gripper heads each having a pair of grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallei axes and in rotative paths of equal radii and the same rotative direction in an erecting phase of operation, a supply magazine to contain the flat cartons, means to transport said heads in succession past said magazine, with one gripper of each thereof in a position in which it may grippingly engage an endmost carton in the magazine in the removal of that carton from the magazine, the other gripper being in a position, in passing the magazine, to physically clear the latter, and means acting with the grippers in enga ement with opposite sides of the carton to rotate said engage grippers about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.

22. The mechanism of claim 1, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.

23. The mechanism of claim 2, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.

24. The mechanism of claim 19, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.

25. The mechanism of claim 20, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.

26. A method of erecting to a polygonal outline a flat tubular carton having flexibly articulated panels, comprising gripping a pair of different panels of the flat carton, and rotating the gripped panels in the same rotative direction and radii of rotation about parallel axes fixedly spaced from one to another to erect the carton to said outline.

27. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons, or like objects having successive flexibly articulated panels, to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of grippers mounted to rotate in the same rotative direction on substantially equal radii about fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with different panels of the cartons in said phase, and means to rotate said engaged grippers individually about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline. 

1. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons, or like objects having successive flexibly articulated panels, to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of grippers mounted to rotate in the same rotative direction about fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with different panels of the carton in said phase, and means to rotate said engaged grippers individually about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.
 2. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of suction grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with oppositely facing and nonsuccessive panels of the carton and means to rotate said engaged grippers simultaneously, individually and unidirectionally about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.
 3. The mechanism of claim 2, in which said rotating means comprises a parallel arm-type linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes.
 4. The mechanism of claim 2, in which said rotating means comprises a linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes, and further comprising means operable in another phase of operation to rotate at least one of said grippers about an axis paralleling the first-named gripper axes.
 5. Apparatus for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, comprising a plurality of gripper heads each having a pair of grippers mounted to rotate in the same rotative direction about fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, a supply magazine to contain the flat cartons, means to transport said heads in succession past said magazine, with one gripper of each thereof in a position in which it may grippingly engage an endmost carton in the magazine in the removal of that carton from the magazine, the other gripper being in a position, in passing the magazine, to physically clear the latter, and means acting with the grippers in engagement with opposite sides of the carton to rotate said engaged grippers about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, in which, prior to said rotation of the grippers about said axes, the gripped flat carton is moved to lie in a plane at 90* to the plane occupied by it in the magazine.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, in which said rotating means comprises a parallel-arm-type linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, in which said rotating means comprises a parallel-arm-type linkage operatively connected to said grippers to so rotate the same about said axes.
 9. A method of erecting to a polygonal outline a flat tubular carton having flexibly articulated panels, comprising gripping a pair of oppositely facing panels of the flat carton, and rotating the gripped panels in the same rotative direction about parallel axes fixedly spaced from one to another to erect the carton to said outline.
 10. A method of successively erecting to a polygonal outline a series of flat tubular cartons having flexibly articulated panels, comprising successively gripping one panel only of each flat carton in removing it from a stacked supply of such cartons, transporting the thus gripped cartons in a predetermined path, successively gripping an oppositely facing panel of each carton while in transport, and rotating the gripped panels of each carton during transport in the same rotative direction and radii of rotation about fixedly spaced, parallel axes to erect the cartons to said outline.
 11. The method of claim 10, in which the gripped flat carton is shifted, during transport and prior to said rotation of said panels about said axes, to lie in a plane at 90* to the plane occupied by it in said stacked carton supply.
 12. The method of claim 11, in which said shifting of the flat carton is a purely rotative one about an axis paralleling said fixedly spaced axes.
 13. The method of claim 11, in which the carton, as thus shifted, is gripped by only one of said grippers.
 14. The method of claim 12, in which the carton, as thus shifted, is gripped by only one of said grippers.
 15. Apparatus for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, comprising a plurality of gripper heads, said gripper heads each having a pair of grippers, said grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, a supply magazine to contain the flat cartons, means to transport said heads in succession past one end of said magazine, means to move an endmost carton from said magazine, means to urge said carton toward and into engagement with one of said grippers, the other gripper being in a position, in passing the magazine, to physically clear the latter, and means acting with the grippers in engagement with opposite sides of the carton to rotate said engaged grippers about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to said polygonal outline.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said magazine comprises walls to confine said cartons and the means to move an endmost carton from said magazine comprises an end portion extension on one of said walls, said extension being positioned at an angle to said one wall to direct the movement of said carton away from said magazine and toward said one said gripper.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means to move said endmost carton from said magazine comprises an arm supporting one said gripper with a rod extending from said arm support, said rod having a downwardly extending finger for engagement with a carton in said magazine when said one said gripper is moved across one end of said supply magazine.
 18. A method of successively erecting to a polygonal outline a series of flat tubular cartons having flexibly articulated panels, comprising successively moving each carton from a stacked supply of such cartons toward and into suction engagemeNt with a suction gripper, said gripper gripping one panel of said carton, transporting the thus gripped cartons in a predetermined path, successively gripping an oppositely facing panel of each carton while in transport, and rotating the gripped panels of each carton during transport in the same rotative direction and substantially the same radii of rotation about fixedly spaced, parallel axes to erect the cartons to said outline.
 19. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons, or like objects having successive flexibly articulated panels, to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes and in rotative paths of equal radii and the same rotative direction in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with different panels of the carton in said phase, and means to rotate said engaged grippers individually about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.
 20. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of suction grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes and in rotative paths of equal radii and the same rotative direction in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with oppositely facing and nonsuccessive panels of the carton and means to rotate said engaged grippers simultaneously, individually and unidirectionally about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.
 21. Apparatus for erecting tubular cartons having successive flexibly articulated panels to an outline of polygonal cross section, comprising a plurality of gripper heads each having a pair of grippers mounted to rotate on fixedly spaced, parallel axes and in rotative paths of equal radii and the same rotative direction in an erecting phase of operation, a supply magazine to contain the flat cartons, means to transport said heads in succession past said magazine, with one gripper of each thereof in a position in which it may grippingly engage an endmost carton in the magazine in the removal of that carton from the magazine, the other gripper being in a position, in passing the magazine, to physically clear the latter, and means acting with the grippers in engagement with opposite sides of the carton to rotate said engaged grippers about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline.
 22. The mechanism of claim 1, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.
 23. The mechanism of claim 2, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.
 24. The mechanism of claim 19, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.
 25. The mechanism of claim 20, in which said grippers simultaneously and continuously maintain contact with said engaged panels of the carton of the latter from flat condition to a desired and completed polygonal outline.
 26. A method of erecting to a polygonal outline a flat tubular carton having flexibly articulated panels, comprising gripping a pair of different panels of the flat carton, and rotating the gripped panels in the same rotative direction and radii of rotation about parallel axes fixedly spaced from one to another to erect the carton to said outline.
 27. In mechanism for erecting flat tubular cartons, or like objects having successive flexibly articulated panels, to an outline of polygonal cross section, a pair of grippers mounted to rotate in the same rotative direction on substantially equal radii about fixedly spaced, parallel axes in an erecting phase of operation, said grippers being grippingly engageable with different panels of the cartons in said phase, and means to rotate said engaged grippers individually about the respective axes thereof to move the panels of the carton to form said polygonal outline. 